1. Warm-Up
What is the Preamble to the Constitution? Or what is the purpose of the Preamble? What does it guarantee?
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

2. Constitution Break Down
Section 3: Structures/Functions of Constitution

3. Mastery Objective
Students will explain the importance of a written Constitution, understand structures and functions established within it’s framework, and explain how certain provisions of U.S. Constitution provide checks and balances among the three branches of government.
TEK 7A 7B 7C 7D 7E 7F 7G 8E

4. Language Objective
Student will internalize new and basic academic language by using it in meaningful ways including speaking and writing activities.

5. Review Section 2: Beliefs/Principles of Figures
Last time, discussed various presidents OR key figures and how they exercised authority in relation to the Constitution.
George Washington; serving two terms then stepping down-no explicitly spelled out in Constitution (implied)
FDR ( ) elected 4 times and served 3 terms? Was this wrong? No.
Led to 22 Amendment; 2 term limit.

6. Basic Principles of Constitution
Lays out the framework for the Federal Government, and sets limits to how government must conduct itself
Federal Government is based on the rule of law and that power resides in the people
The Constitution divides power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government
Checks and balances prevent any one branch from gaining too much power

7. Basic Principles of Constitution
Checks and balances prevent any one branch from gaining too much power
Constitution is a brief document
Basic principles; simple and straight forward

8. Preamble
Preamble to the Constitution
Introductory paragraph; states purpose
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

9. Articles
Rest of the document is divided into seven numbered sections called Articles
Article I: Legislative
Article II: Executive
Article III: Judicial
Article IV: Relations among the States
Article V: Amending the Constitution
Article VI: National debts, supremacy of national law, and oaths of office
Article VII: Ratifying the Constitution (Requirements)

10. Basic Principles
1. Popular Sovereignty; expressed in Declaration of Independence, people are sovereign (have power),
2. Limited Government; no government is all- powerful; only have as much power as the people give to it—rule of law (government subject to law)
3. Separation of Powers

11. Basic Principles
4. Checks and balances; each branch can put restrains on the other branch
Congress; make laws, but the President may veto act of Congress
Congress can override a presidential veto by two-thirds vote in each house.
Senate may refuse to appointment or treaty made by president (FDR)
President is Commander in Chief but only Congress can formally declare war

12. Basic Principles 4. Checks and Balances:
Judicial Branch; President has power to name judges but must be approved by majority vote in Senate
Court can strike down acts of Congress of presidential acts that are unconstitutional
5. Judicial Review; courts determine if government is acting within bounds of Constitution
Framers intended this despite not explicitly sated, written into Federalist Papers No.78 “independent judges”
6. Federalism; division of power among central government and other regional governments

13. How do you change the Constitution?
Formal Amendments
How do you change the Constitution?

14. Two Ways:
1. Formal Amendments
2. Informal Procedures

15. Formal Amendments (Article V)
Changes that become part of the language of the Constitution
FIRST: Proposed by two-thirds vote in each house of Congress and be ratified by three fourths of the State legislatures (27 amendments adopted this way)
SECOND: Proposed by Congress and ratified by conventions, called for that purpose, in three fourths of the States. (Only 21st Amendment adopted this way-Prohibition)

16. Formal Amendments (Article V)
THIRD: proposed by national convention, called by Congress at the request of two thirds of the State legislatures and ratified by three fourths of the legislature (never been called for)
FOURTH: Proposed by a national convention and ratified by convention in three fourths of the States
PG 73

17. Amendments
First 10 Amendments were added after the Constitution became effective.
Proposed by firste session of the First Congress (1789) and apporved by Sates in 1971
Bill of Rights
Later Amendments added to Constitution over last 200 years

18. Assignment
Working in groups of 3, complete the assigned questions in your textbook.
Pg. 70 #2,3,4, 6
Pg. 77 #1,2,4,6
Everyone needs to write the answers on an individual sheet of paper, and turn it in at the end of class.